


Change is the Only Constant

by kalisgirl



Category: The Tomorrow People (2013)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Pre-ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 17:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3776668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kalisgirl/pseuds/kalisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes normal and happy are very relative things. Irene and Stephen adjust to new circumstances post-series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Change is the Only Constant

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadySilver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySilver/gifts).



> This is a series of character moments written for Lady Silver as part of Ship Swap. It's not as shippy as I'd intended, but I enjoyed trying to figure out where and what was next for these two. And to throw them into awkward situations, because that's always fun.

"One point four six!" 

Astrid looked up from her algebra textbook. "Excuse me?" 

"One point four six miles! I have found the shortest route from the Lair to the surface." Irene grimaced as she flopped down beside Astrid. "It only took four months and three pairs of shoes. You know, just because they say a sewer line is decommissioned, it doesn't mean it's sanitary." 

Astrid winced at the idea. "But the one point four six route...?" 

"No sewers. Steam and maintenance tunnels all the way. Had to remove a few spot welds and disable some cameras, but it's totally worth it to not feel trapped all the time.” 

Astrid closed her textbook and set it aside. “Trapped?” 

Irene sighed. “Yeah. I guess.” 

“Because your powers were taken?” 

Irene nodded. 

“I guess I can see that,” Astrid agreed. “It's limiting, having to wait for someone to teleport you to the surface every time.” 

“Exactly. Not that I ever went topside, much. But everyone else is these days, so I'm alone down here half the time.” 

“I'm sorry, honey. That sucks.” 

“Yeah, well. Until I figure out what Jedekiah did to me, this is my life. Not much I can do about it, is there?” 

Astrid tilted her head and smiled. “I wouldn't be so sure about that.” 

. 

Marla Jameson pushed the front door open with her hip as she juggled keys, purse, and suitcase. 

“Boys, I'm back,” she called out. She dropped her things on the occasional table in the hall and leaned the rolling case on the newel post as she shouted up the stairs. “Stephen? Luka?” 

“They're not here.” 

The treble voice had Marla turning abruptly, her hands out to TK before she properly registered the small figure perched on the couch. 

“Irene?” she said. 

“Hi Mrs. Jameson,” Irene said. “Sorry I surprised you.” 

“That's okay, honey. But if I could ask...” 

“What am I doing here?” Irene nodded. “Yeah, well, that's kind of a long story. I don't have powers anymore and I just can't live in the Lair because it's too hard without powers so Stephen said I should stay here until I can find a place topside. Which I guess isn't a long story but... He didn't ask you before he invited me, did he?” 

Marla smiled at the girl's nervous babble. “He didn't, but that's Stephen for you.” She held up a hand to cut off Irene's response. “And it's just fine, dear. We have a guest room for a reason – though I don't remember when I last changed the sheets, so I hope he got you fresh ones.” 

“He did, thank you. Stephen's been a great host.” 

“I did try to teach him manners. I'm glad to hear that some of it stuck.” Marla gestured towards the kitchen. “I'm going to make some tea. Would you like a cup?” 

“Please, yes!” 

The tiny girl jumped up from the sofa, her curls bouncing wildly. Marla shook her head as she lead the way to the kitchen. Stephen was going to have some explaining to do when he got home. 

. 

“Stephen, you awake?” Irene's voice was barely audible. 

“Mmmph,” he answered. He heard his door creak open, then light footsteps crossing the floor. 

“Stephen, I need to go to the Lair. Could you take me, please?” 

“Now? It's, like, five in the morning.” 

“It's seven oh three. You have school in eighty seven minutes and if we go to the Lair you'll want to visit for a bit so I think we should go now.” 

“Irene, I'm in my pajamas.” He threw back the covers for emphasis. 

Irene squeaked. “You're in your *underwear*!” she said, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. 

Stephen laughed. “C'mon Irene, you lived in a bunker for years. You've seen guys in their boxers.” 

“Not ones that look like you,” she blurted out. 

He almost laughed again, but Irene was beet red and had her face buried in her hands. He pushed himself up in the bed and pulled the blanket over his chest. 

“I'm decent now,” he reassured her. 

She peeked out between her fingers. “Thanks. And sorry. I shouldn't have said that.” 

“What? Underwear?” 

“No, I shouldn't have objectified you. That's rude.” 

“You've been hanging out with Astrid too much,” he said. “I don't mind a little 'objectifying' between friends.” 

Irene smiled down at him. “Really?” 

“Yeah, no problem,” he said with a grin. “Of course, unless you want the full show, you might want to let me get dressed alone.” 

Irene giggled a little as she left the room. Stephen shook his head as he watched her go. Having Irene stay at his house was way more fun than he'd expected it to be. 

. 

Irene snuggled deeper into the sofa. It was a chilly fall day and she had no intention of leaving the comfort of the Jameson living room until the rain let up. Three more chapters of Kornberg's latest on eukaryotic transcription and then it would be time for a fresh pot of tea. Maybe some leftover shepherd's pie. 

“Hey sleepy-head, up you get!” 

Stephen always raced down the stairs like Ultra was still chasing him. It seemed miraculous that he didn't just slide off the steps. Irene snorted at the idea. 

“What? Do I have? Is there something?” Stephen's hands went to his face, then his shirt. 

“No. You look fine,” Irene said, privately enjoying how just good he looked. “Just wondering why you don't teleport downstairs if you're in such a rush.” 

Stephen turned to look at the stairs, a frown scrunching up his face. “Y'know, I never even thought of that. I guess I could. But it seems kind of...” 

“Lazy?” 

“No.” He shifted his gaze back to her. “More like wasteful? Because the powers, they're more than just, uh, shortcuts?” 

“Not many people think that way,” she said, thinking of Russell and his cohort. 

Stephen fiddled with the hem of his button-down. “Maybe not,” he said. “But after everything that we've been through this year? I guess I feel like having powers is a bit more than being able to skip the stairs.” 

Irene felt a burst of happiness to hear him say something she'd believed for ages. She swung her legs off the couch and leaned forward. 

“I totally agree,” she said. “I mean, there's got to be an evolutionary reason for the development of the Tomorrow People, which means that there is more to having powers than, I don't know, convenience.” 

“Exactly!” He nodded vigourously, moving to sit beside her on the couch. “Maybe it's because my powers are, um, more? Y'know, further evolved than other people's? I really feel like there's got to be some purpose to all this.” 

He stopped suddenly, his smile fading. 

“Oh god, Irene, I'm sorry.” 

She stared blankly at him. 

“I'm sorry, this can't be easy to talk about. With your powers being...” 

“Gone?” she said bluntly. 

“Uh, yeah.” Stephen looked embarrassed. 

The excitement Irene had been feeling twisted into to a knot in her chest. For some reason, she'd thought he was different. 

“Gone, but not forgotten, right?” There may have been some bitterness in her voice. The miserable expression on his face just made her angrier. 

“I'm sorry, Irene...” 

“Why?” she asked. “Why are you sorry? Was it your fault that Jedekiah stole my powers? Are you sorry because you weren't taking notes on his work? Because if there were notes maybe I could reverse what he did, but without them, I'm screwed. Or are you saying sorry because you feel sorry for me? Because you pity poor, powerless Irene who's just a plain old human now?” 

She jumped up from the couch, needing to be far away from his sympathy or whatever it was that was making his stupid puppy eyes all sad. Ignoring him calling her name, Irene stomped into the kitchen. 

. 

Stephen stood in the archway between the living and dining rooms, watching her. It looked like she was just making a pot of tea but it was clear she was upset, even to someone as admittedly clueless about women as he was. He should have known better than to talk about powers with her. Astrid would be furious. 

It had been Astrid's idea for Irene to move in with Stephen. He'd thought it was a bit crazy, having this super-genius Tomorrow Person who also happened to be a teenage girl, living in the guest room. Not that he'd really thought of her as a girl, exactly. Until two weeks ago, when he thought of Irene, she was a brainiac, a klutz, a fugitive, and most of all, a really short person. 

Now he knew that she was obsessed with mystery novels, loved tea in every form, and that the top of her curls would tickle his chin when she squeezed past him in the upstairs hall. Also, he knew that those curls smelled like coconut and vanilla, and that he kind of wanted to twist their softness around his fingers. The idea was almost as distracting as the sound of her laughter when he was in his room trying to do homework. Every time he heard Irene's laugh, he wanted to know why she was laughing, he wanted to see her smile, and he wanted to be the one making her eyes sparkle in that joyful way. 

He watched her move around the kitchen and wished that he could take back the last five minutes. Or figure out a way to fix the mess he'd made. Anything to make her excited and happy again. 

“You can stop staring at me. I'm fine, Stephen.” 

It was so obviously a lie that he laughed. Irene spun around, splashing tea all over the counter. 

“Jeez! Now look what you made me do,” she said. 

“I'm sorry,” he said. “I shouldn't have laughed. Are you okay?” 

She grabbed a sponge and started to mop up the mess. “I just said that I'm fine. Or do you need me to think it at you, too?” 

He held up his hands. “Look, Irene, I'm really sorry that I brought up your powers. It was stupid.” He moved closer and leaned on the damp counter. “I didn't mean what you said, though. I want you to know that. I don't feel sorry for you.” 

Irene raised an eyebrow, but didn't interrupt. 

“No, really. I think what you've done is amazing. You figured out how to get out the Lair on your own. You moved topside and started a whole new kind of life. I mean, I remember when I first broke out – I was freaked. But you, you just rolled with the changes.” 

Irene ducked her head, a small smile on her lips. 

“Better than that, you went all in and made the best of it,” he continued, resting his hands on her shoulders. 

She looked up and met his eyes. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes bright with unshed tears, but she was smiling. Stephen couldn't resist giving a gentle tug. Irene leaned into his chest. She snuggled up to him, wrapping her arms around his back. When she rested her head against his shoulder, he found he could comfortably lean his cheek on her soft, springy hair. 

Stephen breathed in vanilla and concentrated really hard on thinking friend thoughts. It wasn't easy when Irene sighed and relaxed into him even further. 

“I kind of feel like I should thank you,” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt. 

“What for?” 

“For talking to me about my powers being gone. Everyone else tiptoes around the topic like I'm too fragile to take it. It's horrible. At least you said something.” 

Stephen shook his head. “The stupidest thing.” 

“And then the nicest thing.” Irene tilted her head back and met his eyes. “So thank you.” She pushed herself up onto her toes and kissed his cheek. 

Stephen felt the press of her lips tingle against his skin. He turned his head away before he could do something else stupid, like kissing properly. 

He'd just got her to forgive his last idiot move. There was plenty of time to figure out if she was interested in him like that. Until then, he was going to enjoy her sparkling smile and how good it made him feel to have made her happy.


End file.
